Unit rationale, description and aim
Includes: 30 days placement in a special educational setting
At a time of increased student diversity, the roles and responsibilities of an inclusive educator are much broader in providing high-quality education for every student, including those with disabilities and diverse learning needs, in line with relevant legislation, policies and Professional Standards. In this professional experience unit, within the Inclusive Practice specialisation of Bachelor of Education, ACU students will engage in classroom-based and whole school community collaborative approaches involving students with disabilities and diverse learning needs in safe, supportive, inclusive learning environments. Influences across home, school and community will require ACU students to develop responsive communication to take account of multiple perspectives in building productive teamwork with students, their families, staff, and the wider community.
This unit will include Special Education professional experiences of 30 days working with mentors in planning, implementing, assessing and evaluating individualised learning plans, incorporating differentiation, adjustments and universal design for learning. ACU students will work with their mentors in supporting students with diverse learning needs, underpinned by research-informed, evidence-based practice and data-driven decision-making. The roles of the Special Education teacher and paraprofessionals in successful inclusive practice will be examined.
This unit is designed to support ACU students in putting into practice advanced specialised knowledge, understanding and skills, needed in inclusive environments that support the learning of all children and young people.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Demonstrate differentiated teaching, moving from i...
Learning Outcome 01
Build towards taking responsibility in all aspects...
Learning Outcome 02
Engage in observations, differentiated activities,...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
- Inclusive approaches (access, engagement, participation, respectful relationships, collaborative partnerships, diversity as a resource, creating safe environments where all school community members feel safe and free from discrimination, bias and harassment)
- Differentiating curriculum and instruction, Personalised/Individualised Learning Plans (PLP/ILPs), “differentiation”, “adjustments”, and “universal design for learning”
- Evidence-based strategies for effectively meeting individual student needs in literacy, numeracy, language development, social-emotional learning and behaviour
- Widely-used approaches to collaborate effectively with students, their parents or guardians, allied professionals, and members of the school community to plan and support all students including those with disabilities and diverse learning needs (e.g., inquiry-based problem solving, family-school partnerships, school-based teams, community partnerships, cross-agency collaboration, networks of support, including professional agencies and Advisory teachers.)
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements.
In order to successfully complete this unit, students need to complete and submit two graded assessment tasks and meet Hurdle Task’s requirements. The assessment strategy used allows students to progressively develop their specialised knowledge, understanding and analytical skills to the level of sophistication where they can demonstrate effective differentiated teaching practices in specific contexts.
Assessment Tasks
There are three assessment tasks in this unit, including a hurdle task. The hurdle task requires satisfactory completion of a supervised Special Education Professional Experience.
The first assessment task is a differentiated unit of work and the second assessment task is a critical reflection on the professional experience and e-Portfolio.
Each of the two assessment tasks are worth 50% of the final grade for the unit.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Task Professional Experience Professio...
Hurdle Task
Professional Experience
Professional Experience requirements include compilation of evidence as required.
(Refer to attached Professional Experience Handbook and Report).
Compilation of evidence will include:
- structured observation and analysis of school and classroom contexts, and teaching programs and practices and differentiated teaching programs and inclusive practices
- critical reflection on own differentiated teaching experiences and inclusive practices of teaching and program evaluation
- feedback from supervising teacher/s and university staff
- e-Portfolio collection of artefacts and reflections should provide evidence of relevant differentiated teaching resources
Examples of collaborative multidisciplinary team work and engaging with a range of stakeholders; in attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate, to be included in the e-Portfolio
A pass or fail grade will be awarded for completion of the professional experience days
Assessment Task 1 Differentiated Unit of Work. ...
Assessment Task 1
Differentiated Unit of Work.
Students are required to plan collaboratively for a differentiated unit of work in literacy and numeracy with inclusive teaching episodes including the setting of goals, outcomes, content, assessment criteria catering for a specific disability or learning impairment )
50%
Assessment Task 2 Critical reflection on the Pr...
Assessment Task 2
Critical reflection on the Professional Experience
Students are required to provide a critical reflection essay on their learning from the Professional Experience and development of their e-Portfolio. Students must also provide evidence of research-based analysis on a critical review of recent academic and professional literature.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This is a 10-credit points unit which is offered in multi-mode and will be supported by a Canvas site. Engagement for learning is the key driver in the delivery of this curriculum. The unit will facilitate active participation in pedagogical approaches that demonstrate alignment of teaching, learning and assessment and may incorporate a combination of strategies including individual and group work, activity-based workshops, formal presentations, online activities, and other activities such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts and videos.
This unit involves 40 days Special Education Professional Experience in educational settings with children and young people with disabilities and diverse learning needs, under the supervision of a mentor.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to: